What We Heard: Summary of Public Feedback - City of Peterborough Official Plan Update
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What We Heard: Summary of Public Feedback City of Peterborough Official Plan Update June 2021
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................3
2.0 General ..................................................................................................................4
3.0 Complete Community .............................................................................................9
4.0 Vibrant and Unique ..............................................................................................21
5.0 Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability.....................................................28
6.0 Well-Connected with Options for Mobility .............................................................41
7.0 Strong and Diverse Economy ...............................................................................47
Page 2 of 50`
1.0 Introduction
This is a compilation of comments received from July to December 2019 on the Draft Official
Plan (June 19, 2019 version) and the City’s respective response to each comment. Please
note that some comments have been listed verbatim and others are summarized. The
comments received have also been organized under the following categories:
1. General
• Comments generally related to the whole Official Plan and do not fall under any
of the specific Guiding Principles and themes. Examples include those
comments pertaining to vision, guiding principles, formatting, and organization.
2. Complete Community
• Comments related to growth management, neighbourhoods, housing, parks,
open space and rural transitional area.
3. Vibrant and Unique
• Comments related to cultural heritage, urban design, and the Central
Area/downtown.
4. Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
• Comments related to the natural heritage system, sustainable development,
climate change, hazard lands.
5. Well Connected with Options for Mobility
• Comments related to transportation planning, multimodal transportation,
telecommunications and utilities.
6. Strong and Diverse Economy
• Comments related to employment districts, commercial structure and economic
development.
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2.0 General
# Comment/Question (General) City’s Response / What We Did
1 Secondary Plans and Appendix I is missing from the document. Secondary plans have been incorporated into the new Official Plan and edited where
necessary. Appendix I will be released with the final draft of the Official Plan.
2 Provide the context of each section at the beginning and make clear distinction The final draft Official Plan will be formatted accordingly. Revisions have been made to
between descriptive text and policies. The descriptive text can be in smaller text improve the consistency of headings within each section.
and located on the side margins. Make the “intent” clear in each section and
use the heading consistently throughout the document.
3 Provide graphics and visually clear headings The layout of the Official Plan will be undertaken as part of the future/final stages of work.
4 Include a land acknowledgement at the beginning of the Plan. Added land acknowledgement to beginning of the Plan.
5 The Vision statement is generic and could apply to just about any city; it is not The vision was developed based on the input received through the public consultation
tailored to our particular city and does not speak to why future residents would activities, particularly the online surveys. Other sections of the Plan provide the intent to
choose to continue to live, learn, work, and play here. A vision must inform but the policies of the Plan in further detail.
should also inspire, by highlighting what will define Peterborough as a place, as
a culture, as a community, and by identifying how it adapts to and capitalize
upon the many forces that we expect will shape it over the next two decades.
6 A shorter plan, with graphics illustrating what the “on the ground” The layout of the Official Plan will be undertaken as part of a future stage of work and will
implementation of policies will generate, will both inform and hopefully inspire. be made available along with the final draft. Generally, throughout the editing process,
effort has been made to consolidate repeating policies and avoiding adding additional
explanatory text to reduce length.
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# Comment/Question (General) City’s Response / What We Did
7 The context section does little to position the policies that follow. What are the Text has been added to the Context section to outline future challenges and provide
city’s strengths and weaknesses, and what opportunities and threats do we context for the Official Plan policies that follow. However, it is noted that the general
expect the city and its planning to face over the life of the official plan? The approach has been to avoid adding additional explanatory text to avoid increasing the
context section should tell a story; the one that has already been written, is length of the document.
being written now, and how we want that story to play out over the next 20
years.
8 Much work preceded the official plan, and public engagement has helped to This information will be reported to Council. The suggested section would not be as
shape it. A description of “how we got to the official plan” would help the plan relevant in future years. Further noting that the general approach has been to avoid
be seen as the community’s plan. adding additional explanatory text to avoid increasing the length of the document.
9 There needs to be more user-friendly guides and resources for planning and This is not a component of an Official Plan. This may be considered as a separate
development processes. initiative.
10 Love the vision and guiding principles! The provision of an organic waste composting facility is outside the scope of the Official
Wondering about organic waste disposal options? i.e. green bins? Are these Plan; however, a new composting facility may be completed by fall of 2023. The Official
coming?? Plan does speak to waste, recycling and composting containers as considerations for site
plan approval under Section 7.7 (Site Plan Approval) and encouraging three stream waste
collection capability in all multi-residential buildings under Section 5.4.3 (Policies for
Buildings and Sustainable Design).
11 There are positive aspects to Peterborough’s Draft Official plan such as No changes provided – comment is in support of draft policies.
improved inclusion of First Nations and acknowledgment of their traditional
lands and inclusion of Indigenous names, a commitment to energy
conservation and a focus of local food stores. In addition, improved access
secondary suites is good because it should increase places available for rent.
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# Comment/Question (General) City’s Response / What We Did
12 The current draft appears heavily focused upon meeting provincial It is a requirement of the Plan to conform with provincial policies and requirements.
requirements, and in that sense is quite passive in nature. Given the many Improving clarity and appropriate guidance has been considered in revisions.
factors facing this city at this critical juncture in its history, its official plan should
be more than a response to requirements, but a clear direction‐setting
document that guides (and inspires) the community to the future it desires.
13 The context section does little to position the policies that follow. What are the The context section was revised to speak to the physical landscape and outline the
defining physical features unique to this city? What does the community value purpose of the Official Plan.
about these features? Beaches, extensive public access to shoreline and
water, commanding views, and others help to make this community unique.
The context section should tell a story; the one that has already been written, is
being written now, and how we want that story to play out over the next 20
years.
14 More detail is required on the things that will monitored. Why not commit to Section 7.3.2 (Monitoring) commits to monitoring and measuring performance. That
developing a monitoring plan that includes a wide range of indicators related to section speaks to monitoring to determine if the implementation of the policies fulfills the
the various elements of the OP? Sustainability could be one unifying theme. overall Vision, Guiding Principles and Objectives of this Plan. Sustainability is already
captured through the vision and guiding principles.
15 The following are important to me: The Municipal Child Care Programs is part of the annual budget discussions and is not
- Roads within the purview of the Official Plan Update.
- Employment The Official Plan does however speak to the following:
- Daycare • Providing a convenient, accessible, affordable and integrated transportation
I realize that there has been a 20% decrease in subsidy for childcare but that system;
means that the province is still paying 80%, I'm going to need childcare soon • Ensuring that there is an appropriate supply of lands are designated for
and I also feel that 30 good jobs being lost is far too much for a council to population-related employment (e.g., retail, daycare, institutional uses) and
ignore. Keep the jobs and these services to the citizens of Peterborough. employment land employment (i.e., industrial uses) to allow for job creation and a
wide range of employment opportunities;
• Fostering a high quality of life to attract investment and sustain a workforce; and.
• Considering opportunities to offer incentives for business growth.
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# Comment/Question (General) City’s Response / What We Did
16 I want to express my concerns about closing the city run daycare programs. Please see response to Comment #15 above.
The company I worked for closed and therefore I can really feel for the daycare
workers and hope you find it in your heart to not put them out of work, believe
me it's devastating. I also will need daycare if I can find a good paying job.
Maybe the City could work on trying to attract more jobs to the area. I am not
one to take advantage of government programs but unless I find work soon, I
will need to look into what help I can get. In short, I would like you to focus on
job creation and daycare. I appreciate the opportunity to have input.
17 Are there separate public at large/citizens, Indigenous groups'/youth advisory The establishment of a committee of Council is outside the scope of the Official Plan. The
committees? Or a committee that incorporates knowledge and experience of draft Official Plan does, however, include policies for consultation with Indigenous
settler, Indigenous people, and youth? communities and community engagement. One of the objectives to community
engagement described in the Plan is to provide equitable opportunity for a wide
demographic to be informed and involved on planning matters, Sections 7.1 and 7.2
(Public Consultation and Community Engagement)).
18 It's important to acknowledge that this Plan must position the community to Additional language in the Context section was added to frame future
respond effectively, efficiently and equitably to the challenges and opportunities challenges/opportunities.
that have arrived or loom on the horizon. The City's planning approach must be
characterized by quick response to rapid change, a focus on key strategic
issues (rather than comprehensive), and planning will have to be highly
inclusive in nature.
19 The Draft Plan lacks any front‐end context that one would expect to see and Additional language in the Context section was added to frame future
that would drive the Plan's goals, objectives and policies. The Plan must challenges/opportunities. It is noted; however, that providing context is not a statutory
explain the assumptions, analysis, projections and predictions that provide the requirement of an Official Plan. The focus must be on managing change into the future
foundation for future planning, and life, in this community. Accordingly, the Plan through planning policy.
must explain the nature of the many trends, challenges and trends to be
planned for in this community over the next 20 years for land use planning,
urban design, infrastructure and resource management.
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# Comment/Question (General) City’s Response / What We Did
20 A key issue concerns the absence of any substantive plan monitoring and Added text to Section 7.3.2 (Monitoring) that the results of monitoring activities may by
evaluation strategy, including supportive indicators. The insights generated by used to inform future policy direction and updates to the Plan.
plan evaluation would then guide changes to plan content and direction, and
thereby ensure relevance, currency and effectiveness of the plan. Accordingly,
the Plan needs a monitoring and evaluation strategy that explains the
evaluation process and elements. This includes clarification of tasks and timing;
it will also be necessary to the develop strategic, key indicators that are tied
directly to, and support, the Plan's goals, objectives and policies.
21 Ideally, we want to see (and read) Official Plans that not only inform and The draft Official Plan contains a considerable amount of context and explanatory text
meeting statutory requirements for content; they should also inspire and which supports the readability and provides rationale for the subsequent policies in every
motivate the community. The Official Plan should be readable, accessible and section. The final formatting of the document will also support readability.
focused ‐ one that focuses on the key strategic issues of importance to the
City's quality of life, sustainability and well‐being.
22 With regard to the public consultation issue, where did the City really land on In May of 2017, based on the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)
Arnstein's Ladder, IAP2 spectrum, etc. with this Draft? The City seems to have model, Council agreed to “Involve” the public in the development of the Plan with some
taken a rather traditional approach to consultation with the Draft Plan (i.e. open opportunities to “Collaborate”. The City has used a number of methods to involve and
houses, information sessions). collaborate through pop-ups, online surveys, a four-day community design charrette, open
houses, and face-to-face meetings. It is estimated that there has been well over 5,000
participants throughout the Official Plan Update process.
23 Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre should be included in the Official Plan so that Section 7.1 (Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the Duty to Consult) includes the
the concerns of urban Indigenous community members are heard, and that Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, recognizes the interests of the urban indigenous
Indigenous Peoples are empowered in and around Peterborough. This population from a local and regional planning perspective and directs the City to engage
relationship should be ongoing. As part of building and maintaining and partner with Indigenous Communities as appropriate. Indigenous representation at
relationships, seat(s) should be given for Indigenous representation at council council meetings is not within the scope of the Official Plan update.
meetings.
24 Recognize the rights of Indigenous communities, not simply or narrowly This Plan has been revised in consultation with Treaty 20 First Nations.
“interests”.
25 Positive to see reference/recognition to Free Prior and Informed Consent in These policies have been revised in consultation with Treaty 20 First Nations.
regard to Indigenous People, commitment to work towards constructive,
cooperative relationships with Indigenous People
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3.0 Complete Community
# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
1 How will inclusionary zoning policies be measured and monitored? Inclusionary zoning policies have been removed from the draft Official Plan until such time
it can be confirmed that they can be implemented in the City.
2 The Official Plan does not appropriately address the issue of poverty and Policies relating to Accessible, Assisted and Affordable Housing can be found in Section
homelessness. 5.2.3. Specific details and program direction will be established in the Housing and
Homelessness Plan.
3 Improvements to public space will attract more development downtown. The City will continue efforts towards improving and enhancing the public realm in the
Central Area. References to this are in Section 4.3 (Central Area).
4 There are not enough cultural and recreational facilities in the City. The determination of need for more cultural and recreational facilities will be established
through the recommendations of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
5 The cultural and recreational facilities that exist are not equitably distributed. The equitable distribution of cultural and recreational facilities will be established through
the recommendations of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
6 Place time limits on development fee exemption to encourage timely Any limitations to development charge exemptions will have to be established through the
development. Development Charges By-law.
7 All neighbourhoods should include a restaurant or pub. Neighbourhood supportive uses are permitted in the Residential designation.
8 New subdivisions should include multi-use recreational facilities. The need for recreational facilities will be established through the recommendations of the
Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Following the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the
location of recreation facilities in new subdivisions will be determined through the
Secondary Planning process.
9 The City needs to facilitate ‘neighbourliness’ – social gathering spaces in Section 5.3 (Parkland and Open Space) identifies opportunities for socialization as a
neighbourhoods. benefit to providing park space throughout the City.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
10 Mechanisms are required to protect existing neighbourhoods especially with Added policy language to Section 4.2.2 (Residential Designation) to require residential
regards to compatibility and traffic. development and intensification be compatible with the surrounding context.
11 Permit the development of tiny homes on private property (e.g. Cornerstone Tiny homes on private property can be established under the policies for additional
Landing Youth Services and Algonquin College in Lanark County). residential units/secondary suites, Section 4.2.2(Residential Designation)).
12 Work with community for innovative ways to provide affordable and special Policies relating to Accessible, Assisted and Affordable Housing can be found in Section
needs housing. 5.2.3. Specific details and program direction will be established in the Housing and
Homelessness Plan.
13 Develop existing surface parking lots in the downtown. Section 4.3.1 encourages parking in the Central Area to be in above or below grade
parking structures and appropriately designed. Section 4.3.1 requires all development in
the Central Area to be transit-supportive and pedestrian-oriented.
14 Parks should all have water service to facilitate community gardens. The facilities provided at each park is established through the recommendations of the
Parks and Recreation Master Plan/Park Standards.
15 Farmland should be preserved and the City should intensify opposed to The currently unbuilt land not required for urban development for the life of this Plan will be
developing new subdivisions. identified as Rural Transition Area (Section 4.7).
16 Consider permitting modular housing as an option for low-cost and affordable Modular housing is already permitted in residential areas, subject to the policies and
housing. provisions of the Zoning By-law and the Ontario Building Code.
17 Passive recreation opportunities should be explored and considered, not just The facilities and programming of uses provided at each park are established through the
development of parks with playgrounds and sports facilities. recommendations of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan/Parks Standards.
18 Residential development needs to be accompanied by commercial development Neighbourhood supportive uses are permitted in the Residential designation. Further, the
to reduce vehicle trips. mixed-use corridors (Section 4.4) enable the development of buildings containing
commercial and residential uses in areas outside of the downtown.
19 Larger developments should include indoor and/or outdoor common space. On-site amenity space is a requirement for larger developments. More detailed
requirements may be established through the Zoning By-law, design guidelines and/or
determined through Site Plan Approval.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
20 The Plan should consider inclusion of the new 10-point housing plan. Point 6 of the 10-point housing plan states that “City of Peterborough will continue to
develop its Official Plan to ensure that creative solutions for housing are available to the
community, such as allowing for tiny homes through zoning and by-law amendments and
will look to create an inventory of land that could be made available for affordable housing
development”. These are addressed in Section 5.2.4. The other nine points are outside the
purview of the Official Plan.
21 Require residential development to be no more than one kilometre from a The draft Official Plan contains General Policies for Food Stores (Section 4.1.5) which
grocery store. encourages the equitable distribution of food stores and their location in neighbourhoods
and strategic growth areas.
22 Requiring 10% of new residential developments be affordable will discourage Section 5.2.4 has been reworded to clarify that the percentage is a City-wide target on an
development in the City and/or result in local builders investing in neighbouring annual basis.
municipalities.
23 The affordable housing target should be increased – 10% is not enough Increased the minimum target to 20%.
24 Include higher density forms of housing as a proxy for housing affordability. Section 5.2 (Housing) identifies providing a range and mix of housing types as an objective
for being able to respond to the different needs in the housing market. Higher density
housing is intrinsically more affordable.
25 Affordable housing needs to prioritize homelessness first. Homelessness first strategies are developed through the City’s Housing and
Homelessness Plan.
26 There is a need for a specific affordable housing strategy with ways to compel The City has an Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan to assist/incentivise in
the development industry to build. the development of affordable housing in the City. Although the City can create incentives
for developing affordable housing, landowners cannot be forced to use the incentives or
develop their property.
27 An intensification rate of 50% is too low and needs to be increased. The 50% intensification target currently stated in the draft Official Plan is a minimum target.
Exceeding the target is permitted.
28 Louis Street Park should be developed as a passive green space and the splash The Louis Street Urban Park has already gone through the design process and is currently
pad/ice rink should be located at the Simcoe and Bethune Park. under construction.
29 The City needs to be enabled to be proactive on housing issues through policies Considerations to encourage affordable and accessible housing is included in Section
in the Official Plan. 5.2.4. Housing strategies are also in the City’s Housing and Homelessness Plan.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
30 Zoning By-law needs to be changed to remove restrictions on residential The Planning Act requires the City to update its Zoning By-law within three years of the
development. new Official Plan coming into effect.
31 Greater incentives for affordable housing need to be established. Considerations have been added to Section 5.2.4 (Accessible, Assisted and Affordable
Housing). Recommendations for greater incentives for affordable housing may be also
established through Housing and Homelessness Plan.
32 Establish communication protocol when working towards affordable and Policies regarding public consultation are established through Section 7.2 of the Plan.
assisted housing.
33 Affordable housing success stories need to be promoted. This is not within the scope of an Official Plan. The Housing Division prepares annual
reports on progress relating to the goals of the Housing and Homelessness Plan, which
may highlight success stories that occur each year.
34 Policies that protect the existing affordable housing stock from redevelopment Policies that protect existing affordable housing stock are present in Section 5.2.3 and
need to be introduced. 5.2.4 (Conversions of Rental Housing)
35 Barrier-free housing is badly needed. Through Site Plan Control, the City will require site development and design to include
barrier-free and universal accessibility as established through the Ontario Building Code
and AODA.
36 Height limits in neighbourhoods will restrict infill development opportunities. The intent of the Official Plan is to direct the greatest density to the downtown and mixed-
use corridors (i.e., strategic growth areas). Some larger infill projects may occur in the
Residential designation.
37 City should continue acquisition of property adjacent to the Otonabee River and Section 5.3 speaks to the shoreline of the Otonabee River, Little Lake and Trent-Severn
Little Lake for public parks. Waterway will be set aside as part of the City’s parks and open space network. Further,
Section 5.4.1 states that the City shall explore opportunities for the acquisition of land
abutting the waterways to improve public access.
38 Change bylaws with minimum house sizes to allow for tiny homes in the city, or Section 5.2.3 provides consideration to the provisions of the Zoning By-Law are sufficiently
more than one tiny home on shared property. flexible to permit or explore a range of innovative housing types and sizes, including
secondary suites, accessory dwelling units, garden suites, cohousing, tiny homes,
communal housing, and life-lease housing.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
39 There is a disconnect in encouraging infill development and identifying The City will develop a network of active and passive open space and recreation facilities
greenspace as an important aspect of quality of life. to prevent a deficiency in park area and provide adequate opportunities for residents of the
City (Section 5.3). Further, the Official Plan establishes five categories of parks including
Urban Park Spaces, which was developed to respond to the shift towards intensification in
the downtown and corridors.
40 Central Area boundary should be extended north and west to Parkhill Road and The northern boundary of the Central Area is unchanged from the current boundary
Park Street. because aside from identified mixed use corridors of George and Water Streets, the area
north of the Central Area boundary is viewed to have limited redevelopment potential. The
Central Area already includes Park Street.
41 Height limit in the Central Area should not exceed six storeys. In the Central Area, height in excess of six stories is only permitted as of right in the
Downtown Core Area and Industrial Conversion designations. The additional height is
necessary to help the City achieve its intensification target and density target.
42 Ensure new development consists of a mix of unit types as well as community The Housing Supply policies in Section 5.2.2 identify that the City shall provide an
spaces. appropriate range of housing types and densities to suit the needs of current and future
residents. Additionally, the Official Plan establishes five categories of parks including
Urban Park Spaces, which was developed to respond to the shift towards intensification in
the downtown and corridors.
Further, as part of Site Plan Approval, the provision of outdoor amenity and/or play
facilities shall be displayed, where appropriate.
43 The City needs to better facilitate second units/garden suites. Secondary suites are permitted in Residential designations. This policy has been moved to
Section 5.2.3. Secondary suite (additional residential unit) policies are also further
articulated through policy 4.2.2 and have been revised to permit up to two secondary
suites for each single-detached, semi-detached or townhouse unit. One unit may be
contained within the primary residential dwellings and another unit may be within an
accessory structure.
44 Do second units or garden suites count towards the intensification target? Yes, second units (referred to as additional residential units in the Official Plan) count
towards the annual residential intensification target.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
45 A range of affordable housing unit types should be available from tiny homes to Section 5.2.2 (Housing Supply) speaks to the City permitting and facilitating all forms of
housing for large/multi-generation families. housing to meet the needs of current and future residents, including affordable, assisted
and special needs housing. Specific programs and housing needs may be established
through the Housing and Homelessness Plan.
46 Discriminatory language (e.g. ageist wording) needs to be removed. Revisions have been made to remove references to specific demographic groups where
deemed appropriate.
47 The Official Plan is too vague. It does not include any legal framework or zoning The Official Plan is meant to be a high-level and overarching document identifying goals
provisions. and objectives of the City. The legal framework for planning in Ontario is established at the
Provincial level and zoning provisions are established through the Zoning By-law.
48 There is a need to update the Zoning By-law immediately. Section 26(9) of the Planning Act requires the City to update its Zoning By-law within three
years of the new Official Plan coming into effect.
49 Is there political will to achieve the vision and principles of the Official Plan? The Official Plan will need to be adopted by City Council.
50 The Official Plan has to be adjusted to reflect Bill 108. Revisions have been made to the draft Official Plan with respect to Bill 108.
51 Need an accessible housing target of 15% Added policy to Section 5.2.4 (Accessible, Assisted and Affordable Housing) that “The City
will encourage options for accessibility within all new residential developments.”
52 The City needs to speed up the approvals process for new subdivisions which Section 5.2.4 states that the City will encourage and assist, where possible, in the creation
will help with affordability. of affordable and/or accessible housing by exploring opportunities for fast-tracking
development applications that are providing affordable and/or accessible housing. It is
noted however that timelines for reviewing development applications are established in the
Planning Act
53 All references to affordable housing that may apply to private developers must The City is required by the Province to include affordable housing policies in the Official
be removed/ Plan.
54 Will the City be preparing a Schedule for Residential Density? The City will not be preparing a schedule that replicates the Residential Density schedule
of the current Official Plan.
55 How will the existing Secondary Plans be incorporated into the new Official Relevant secondary plans have been incorporated into the new Official Plan and edited
Plan? where necessary.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
56 How is the concept of Nodes from the urban design charette being incorporated The nodes analyzed during the design charette have generally been incorporated into the
into the Official Plan? mixed-use corridors and identified as key intersections (Section 4.4.2 (Major Mixed-Use
Corridor Designation). More detailed policies and design standards for these intersections
may be established through the Secondary Planning process.
57 What is the highest priority of the Official Plan? All priorities are equal and the Official Plan is to be read in its entirety (Section 1.2
(Purpose and Effect).
58 What is being proposed to improve the availability of services and amenities? Services and amenities are proposed to be improved under the overarching guiding
principle of creating complete communities. Mixed-use corridors and the permission of
neighbourhood supportive uses in residential areas will bring commercial services closer to
residents. Section 5 speaks to community development policies (housing, parks, etc.).
59 How was the determination made between what was considered “Major” versus The determination between major and minor mixed-use corridors was based on the
“Minor” Mixed-Use Corridor? Perhaps the intersection of Clonsilla and anticipated redevelopment potential. The boundaries of the Major Mixed-use Corridor has
Lansdowne needs to be reconsidered. been revised to include the intersection of Clonsilla Avenue and Lansdowne Street West.
60 The City should consider having housing designated specifically for students Student residences may be considered as part of an institutional use; however, it is not
and housing designated specifically for low-income residents. appropriate for the Official Plan to identify types or classes of people.
61 Increase affordable housing target from 10% to 25% The target indicated in the Plan has been increased to 20% per annum.
62 I support flexibility in height limits, well-designed tall buildings are a compact, Section 5.4 (Urban Design) states the City’s commitment to achieving a high quality of
sustainable way to house a lot of people. NIMBY-driven decisions are never urban design and architectural excellence and encourages development proponents to
good decisions for the long term. design buildings which include building materials and colours, landscaping and
architectural styles compatible with the context of the area, while achieving variety along
the streetscape. Development proponents will be further encouraged to incorporate
architectural detailing and high-quality durable materials that maintain and enhance the
character of the existing area and extend the life cycle of the built environment.
63 Good design of tall buildings can address height concerns. Rather than being Design is considered in Section 5.4 (Urban Design).
inflexible with height limits, allow nearby residents to comment on design. Use
virtual reality to visualize neighbourhood with new tall building.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
63 Agree that tall buildings can be built more creatively allowing more height (i.e., There are locations within the Central Area that may accommodate taller buildings. The
staggered levels) but agree that Central Area should be limited height (4-5 maximum heights are subject to the policies in Section 4.3.1.
floors).
64 Ensure that tall buildings/apartments have surrounding greenspace to support On-site amenity space is a consideration for development under Sections 4.2.2 for
healthy development of children/families and support mental health in all ages. Neighbourhoods, 4.3.1 for the Central Area and 4.4.2 for the Major Mixed-Use Corridors.
The City has added a policy under Section 5.4.1(Urban Design) to commit to the
preparation of urban design guidelines for medium and high-density development.
65 Ensure the Parkhill Rd/Water St commercial node stays as small as possible. The Parkhill Road and Water Street intersection is designated as Major Mixed-Use
The expansion of this node could be problematic for surrounding Corridor and the surrounding area is designated as Minor Mixed-Use Corridor. The Minor
neighbourhoods. Mixed-Use Corridor is expected to accommodate limited intensified development, while
maintaining a broad mix of compatible land uses per Section 4.4.3.
66 More density in the downtown core. Increase the density target from 150 The target of 150 residents and jobs per hectare represents a minimum target in which the
residents and jobs per hectare to 200. City must plan to achieve by the year 2031.
67 Section 5.2 Housing: Wording is not strong enough in terms of housing types we Section 5.2.2 states that the City shall require a mix of housing types and densities. The
“require” vs. what developers want to build. Look up Mayor Plante of Montreal, Planning Act also places limitations on where inclusionary zoning may be applied.
this week cancelled a development because the builder would not comply with a
variety of housing types. The City must strengthen its stance and be in control.
68 The Plan should also address the need of services to assist those using Section 3.2 (Population and Employment Forecasts) indicates that all planning approvals
affordable housing will be evaluated on the confirmation of the availability of adequate public service facilities.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
69 New housing developments should be required to provide supporting With respect to sidewalks, Section 6.2.4 (Complete Streets) requires sidewalks on both
infrastructure (e.g., sidewalks) and support park and open space and land sides all public roads, including cul-de-sacs with 30 or more residential units or with a
securement plan through pedestrian connections.
With respect to parks and open space, Section 2.2.1 (Complete Community) speaks to the
provision of a balanced mix of land uses, including access to parks and open spaces.
Section 5.3 (Parkland and Open Spaces) further indicates that a complementary program
to provide active and passive open space and recreation facilities will be developed to
prevent any deficiency in park area and to provide adequate recreation opportunities for
the citizens of the City of Peterborough and for visitors to the City. Special emphasis will be
placed on ensuring the continuity and accessibility of a connected system of parkland
throughout the City of Peterborough. Section 5.3 has been revised to speak to accessibility
of the parkland system.
70 Will the city be supporting acquisition of new parks and open spaces? When The Louis Street park and Bethune Street linear park are examples of recent investment in
was the last park/open space that the city invested/purchased? parks.
71 Housing affordability needs to be considered in making each policy choice Housing affordability is a consideration of this Plan and strategies for addressing housing
throughout the Plan affordability are identified in Section 5.2.4.
72 Positive to see that City of Peterborough's Housing Plan informs the Official The affordable housing target has been increased to 20% after further review and
Plan policies and the specific 10% target/requirement for all new developments. consideration. For greater clarity, the 20% requirement applies as a city-wide target and
does not apply to site-specific developments.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
73 Is the 10% comparable to other jurisdictions of similar size and demographics? The City of Brantford’s (population 97,000 in 2016) targets for affordable ownership
housing and affordable rental housing will be established in the Brantford-Brant Housing
Stability Plan. The current targets in the Brantford-Brant Housing Stability Plan are to
provide an increase of 506 units of municipally owned and operated affordable rental
housing by 2030, and an increase of 337 units of affordable rental housing owned and
operated by non-profit and/or co-operative housing providers by 2030.
The affordable housing target in the draft Official Plan has been increased to 20% after
further review and consideration. The City’s target is a minimum target.
74 Our new arrangement of housing developments should occur around The Plan acknowledges key intersections as having the potential to reinforce a community
nuclei/centres that supply daily needs. hub or gateway in Section 4.4.2 (Major Mixed-Use Corridor Designation).
75 There are issues with inconsistent application of a complete community between The “complete community” may apply to both a community/city-scale and neighbourhood-
the definition and introduction of the Official Plan. One is at a city-scale and scale.
others are at a neighbourhood-scale.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
74 The new Minor Mixed-Use Corridor designation will trigger significant changes Section 4.4.3 (Minor Mixed-Use Corridor Designation) states that adequate parking,
which deserve scrutiny. There are only two ways to intensify the number of jobs loading and waste collection/storage facilities for all permitted land uses shall be provided
and residents in the Minor Mixed-Use Corridor: on the site. Front yard parking will not be permitted for non-residential uses and mid-rise
• Demolish a given, existing building and rebuild up or out on the same residential uses and parking and servicing areas shall be located at the rear or side of the
land size. building and not visible from the street. The parking and servicing areas must further be set
• Put more residents or jobs into an existing building by adding additions back and appropriately buffered from existing or planned residential areas. In addition to
or converting the existing building the updates to the zoning by-law, the secondary planning process will provide direction on
Both options will change the appearance of the area and increase the number of the type of development and how to address parking and other issues. The Planning Act
cars parked on or near the plot of land. Intensification runs the risk of requires that the City update the Official Plan 10 years after it comes into effect as a new
exacerbating the parking problem in the area bounded by Parkhill, London, official plan and every five years thereafter. Subsequently, the Planning Act requires that
George and Water where car parking which pills over on to lanes, on-street the zoning by-law is updated no less than three years after the approval of its new official
parking, even front yards and back yards. In regard to cars parked in such a way plan.
as to intrude on to lanes, the only recourse City residents have is to obtain a
court for an injunction.
Suggestions
1. In the upcoming Zoning Bylaw to implement the new Official Plan, base
parking requirements on hard evidence such as Census, data from
comparable cities such as Brantford, Guelph, parking counts.
2. Regulate parking based on the number of individuals (e.g. number of jobs or
bedrooms), not number of units.
3. Into the new Official Plan, build an automatic 5-year review of the efficacy of
Zoning Bylaws to implement the goals of the new Official Plan.
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# Comment/Question (Complete Community) City’s Response / What We Did
77 I would like to urge you to do all you can to encourage some intensification of Residential intensification is key to achieving the density target for the Urban Growth
rental and condo residences in the downtown area. The scale that makes the Centre and the intensification target in the built-up area as specified in the Official Plan.
most sense in terms of fitting in are buildings on the scale of the new buildings The Official Plan provides criteria for mid-rise and high-rise buildings under the general
at Aylmer and Hunter by Ashburnham Realty, but other size buildings are also policies applicable throughout the Central Area in Section 4.3.1 (Introduction to the Central
welcome. I know several aging residents of downtown who are thinking of Area).
moving downtown, but it is very hard to find something. All of these people
would be selling houses in Peterborough to do so, freeing up space for families
and making life easier for themselves by locating where they would not need to
drive as often. The demand is there, but not the supply at a reasonable price.
Generally, I think that Peterborough needs to 'citify' itself and reduce green field
sprawl as best it can. Good for the climate and quality of life (with nature near
enough for everyone to access).
78 Are additional stories beyond the prescribed Official Plan maximum building Section 37 bonusing provisions of the Planning Act has been repealed - the City is no
heights will still be allowed under the Community Benefit Development Charge longer permitted to authorize increases in height and density of development beyond what
(Bill 108)? is permitted in a zoning by-law in return for community benefits. The community benefits
charge is a charge to fund the provision of soft services (e.g., libraries, parks) and has no
ties to bonusing (planning permissions for greater height and density).
The former ‘bonusing’ policies in the Official Plan have been revised to allow the City to
consider additional building height in appropriate locations, to a specific maximum would
still be subject to all policies regulating compatibility.
79 Why is the delineated built boundary defined 13 years ago guiding policy to Only the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has the authority to update/revise the
2041? Does it come from the 2006 Growth Plan, why not use the 2016 edition? delineated built boundary. Per Growth Plan Policy 5.2.2(1)(a) to implement this Plan, the
Minister will, in collaboration with other Ministers of the Crown where appropriate, identify,
establish or update the delineated built boundary.
80 How will the lands designated Rural Transitional Area be determined once the Staff has developed criteria to determine what lands will be designated as excess. This is
Land Needs Assessment is completed? discussed in Staff Report IPSPL21-016.
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4.0 Vibrant and Unique
# Comment/Question (Unique and Vibrant) City’s Response / What We Did
1 Encourage underground parking and active transportation to reduce use of Section 4.3.1 (Introduction to the Central Area) encourages parking in the Central Area to
downtown lands as surface parking lots. be located in either above or below grade parking structures and appropriately designed
while also requiring all development in the Central Area to be transit-supportive and
pedestrian-oriented.
2 Expand the BIA boundary west to Park Street. This is outside the scope of an Official Plan. Expansion of existing BIA boundaries is done
according to procedure outlined in the Business Improvement Area By-law.
3 Central Area should not extend east of the Otonabee River or south of Little The existing Central Area currently extends to those areas.
Lake.
4 Ensure new developments include community spaces (parks and other shared Parks and associated gathering spaces are encouraged in new developments towards the
gathering spaces). goal of maintaining the City’s growth towards a complete community.
The City’s Park Standards establishes guidelines for the location and design of parks.
5 A Heritage Conservation District study for the downtown should be a Section 4.3.1 (Introduction to the Central Area) states that “[t]he City will complete a
requirement. Heritage Conservation District study for the Central Area.”
6 Safe and defensible space creation should be a requirement of urban design. Section 5.4.1 (Introduction to Urban Design) states that one of the general objectives of
urban design is to provide safety, comfort and amenity for those experiencing an area or
space.
7 “Providing safety” in public spaces should identify the users that will determine Section 5.4.1 (Introduction to Urban Design) states that one of the general objectives of
safety. urban design is to provide safety, comfort and amenity for those experiencing an area or
space.
Lists of specific groups are generally avoided throughout the Official Plan to maintain
inclusivity.
8 The Official Plan needs to be clearer about AODA and pedestrian Reference to AODA standards has been added to section 2.2.4 (Well Connected with
friendliness/safety. Options for Mobility).
9 Re-introduce school facilities to the downtown. Section 4.3.1 (Introduction to the Central Area) states that the City will encourage
opportunities for new institutional uses within the Central Area.
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# Comment/Question (Unique and Vibrant) City’s Response / What We Did
10 A main street beautification program should be developed to enhance the look Section 4.3.1 (Introduction to the Central Area) speak to improving the appearance of the
of downtown. public realm in the Central Area.
11 City needs to promote and incentivize development of vacant upper-storey The City has a Residential Intensification and Conversion Grant Program through the suite
space in the downtown. of Community Improvement Plan programs designed to promote and incentivize upper-
storey development in the Central Area.
12 Policies should be created to better enforce property standards to ensure Section 7.18 states that the City shall enact a By-Law pursuant to the Building Code Act or
upkeep takes place. other enabling legislation setting forth minimum standards for maintenance and occupancy
of all buildings, dwellings and open space areas within the City. Property standards are
enforced by the Building Division in accordance with the Property Standards By-law.
13 Storefronts should reflect the existing built heritage of the downtown. Section 4.3.1 (Introduction to the Central Area) states that “[t]he City will complete a
Heritage Conservation District study for the Central Area.” Further, the section speaks to
promoting downtown re-development within the context of historic preservation.
14 Allow for green space between buildings and the street and a visual break Development in the mixed-use corridors will enhance efficiency, convenience, safety and
between buildings themselves along major corridors. appearance through a number of means, including landscaping and streetscape
improvements.
Further, it is anticipated that development within the mixed-use corridors will be facilitated
by the creation of Secondary Plans to address more specific planning and urban design
components.
15 The Official Plan needs to ensure policies are viewed through an anti- It is not clear which policies are being referred to in this comment, but generally any policy
oppression lens. referring to specific demographic groups have been removed.
16 The City should be careful not to token Indigenous art. Section 5.4.4 (Policies for Public Art) has been revised to include a reference to
consultation with First Nations communities where Indigenous artwork or a public art
program are contemplated.
17 A Heritage Study for Ashburnham Village needs to be completed. Policies enabling the study of heritage resources are included in Section 5.1 (Cultural
Heritage) of the Official Plan. Identifying priorities will be done through the Heritage
Preservation Office in consultation with the Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee,
Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee, property owners and
residents.
18 Cultural heritage needs to respect Indigenous rights and history. Section 5.1 (Cultural Heritage) acknowledges the notification and involvement of all
Indigenous Communities having an interest in cultural heritage.
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# Comment/Question (Unique and Vibrant) City’s Response / What We Did
19 Cultural heritage needs to ensure inclusion of cultures of new residents to the The cultural heritage reflects built heritage resources, cultural heritage landscapes and
area. archaeological resources that have been determined to have cultural heritage value or
interest for the important contribution they make to our understanding of the history of
a place, an event, or a people. It is not necessarily exclusionary of the cultures of new
residents.
20 Height restrictions should be established where mid or high-rise buildings are Development will ensure compatibility between new development and the existing built
expected to back onto low-rise housing. form by design elements such as 45-degree angular planes, setbacks, step backs or
landscaped buffer areas.
21 Peterborough needs to be better branded and marketed. This is not within the scope of the Official Plan update. This may be considered as part of
an overall economic development strategy.
22 Concern that public consultation is a waste of time and nothing will ever come of Public consultation is an important part of reviewing development applications and
the discussions. preparing policy. This is enshrined in Section 7.2 (Public Consultation and Community
Engagement) of the Official Plan.
23 The amount of required public consultation should be dependant on the type of Public consultation requirements on development applications will be conducted in
development application. accordance with the Planning Act.
24 The City should look at radio advertising as an alternative to print notices in Television and radio advertising were added to list of communication tools to Section 7.2
newspapers. (Public Consultation and Community Engagement)
25 Should there be a height cap in the Central Area and Neighbourhood areas of The Central Area and Neighbourhood areas have a height limit in the current draft.
the City?
26 In some areas there is a height cap subject to policies of the plan. What are Factors that can impact the proposed height of a building include: the classification of the
those policies and how would they be applied? road the building accesses, access to public transportation, compatibility with surrounding
uses, proximity to amenities, the site is of suitable size to provide for all design elements,
etc.
27 Improve wording in Central Area policies to highlight the importance of built The Central Area component of the Official Plan includes policies that highlight the
heritage resources. importance in the City’s built heritage resources.
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# Comment/Question (Unique and Vibrant) City’s Response / What We Did
28 Height in the Little Lake District – Sub-Area 1 designation should be restricted to The height limit in Sub-Area 1 was carried over from the previous plan for this area, which
four storeys. was a result of an extensive consultation process. Additional policy direction was provided
with regards to compatible development, noting that compatibility is a requirement of all
development.
29 Send a committee to Saratoga Springs NY to ask what they are doing right. It Planning initiatives in Saratoga Springs have included (but are not limited to): preservation
has the most vibrant downtown I have ever seen! of historic assets, the establishment of an Aesthetic Zoning Board and façade restoration
program.
30 Parking in the downtown should be free. The Official Plan does not prescribe parking fees.
31 Plan should include improvements to policing to eliminate all illegal drug activity. This is not within the scope of the Official Plan update.
Remove methadone centres and improve metal health support to youth
32 Need explicit inclusion of the arts in the city vision and Central Area Acknowledgement to ‘Art’ has been added to Section 4.3.1. The vision statement speaks
to a unique and vibrant sense of place and the arts contributes to vibrancy and sense of
place.
33 The Official Plan should guide the creation of a creative land trust similar to Note: The Community Arts Stabilization Trust in San Francisco secures spaces and works
London, England or San Francisco with art organizations to stabilize rent and increase their financial capacity. Similarly, the
Creative Land Trust in London secures long-term affordable spaces for artists.
Live-work units are permitted uses in the Central Area and Mixed-Use Corridors. This may
be explored further in the Community Benefits study/by-law. However, these types of
initiatives are beyond the scope of the Official Plan. The Official Plan would not preclude
the creation of a creative land trust.
34 Heritage in neighbourhoods adjacent to downtown include East City. This is the Cultural heritage impact assessments may be required as part of any development. Added
“Old” Peterborough. It has historical significance for the entire city. to Section 5.1.1(Introduction to Cultural Heritage) that the City will evaluate cultural
heritage resources.
35 Need to protect the live-work spaces from out-of-control rent hikes. Rent increases are regulated under the Residential Tenancies Act and are not part of an
Official Plan.
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